Day Treatment Centre
Appointed by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH), as Project Manager GenNorth embarked on an ambitious fast-track project to create a new Day Treatment Centre at the existing Freeman Hospital site. This new facility aimed to reduce waiting lists for elective surgery, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and ease the burden on existing theatres.
Spanning 3,250 sqm, the centre included four operating theatres, twelve pre-op bays, and twenty recovery bays across first and second stages, along with requisite ancillary spaces to form a self-contained unit. Delivered through the government's permitted development planning route, the goal was to operationalize the centre within a remarkable ten-month timeline, from inception to completion.
Given the building's mechanical ventilation, heating, and cooling requirements, natural ventilation was unfeasible. Instead, a Fabric First approach was adopted, achieving RIBA 2025 U-Value targets through features such as triple-glazed windows, insulated cladding, and mineral wool-insulated floor and roof constructions. Although initially connected to the Freeman Hospital’s infrastructure, the design accommodated future incorporation of renewable energy technologies.
Aiming to meet the stringent timeline, the use of off-site manufacturing was undertaken. Most of the building's structure consisted of load-bearing light gauge steel frames, with aluminium external cladding.
GenNorth was appointed to provide NEC project management services, spearheading the development of the brief alongside the design process. They managed stakeholder engagement, coordinated with the contractor, and administered the NEC3 Option C construction contract. Despite the accelerated pace, GenNorth's proactive change control process and close collaboration with Trust stakeholders ensured the project stayed on course.
Construction commenced in November 2021, progressing alongside design finalization. By September 2022, the centre was completed on time, a testament to the collaborative effort and quality-focused approach of the entire team.
Following the project's success, GenNorth was further engaged as client-side Project Manager for the Trust's £60m Children's Paediatric Unit and as interim Programme Manager for the annual capital programme.
Key Achievements and Challenges: The fast-track approach necessitated minimising changes post-approval, a challenge intensified by newly appointed clinical leaders seeking to influence the project scope. GenNorth’s robust change management, requiring Project Board-level approvals, was critical in mitigating risks.
Extensive stakeholder engagement included specialists in medical gases and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). However, a key lesson was recognising the need for broader inclusion, such as maintenance engineers responsible for future operations.
Market conditions posed challenges, increasing costs and lead times for key materials. These hurdles were addressed through contingency planning, resequencing activities, and enabling efficient decision-making for alternative solutions.
Russell Jones, Deputy Director of Strategy, Planning & Capital Development, praised the project: “The collaborative approach across contractor, designers, PMs, and operations was so refreshing to see and at the centre of the project’s success... It is already having such a positive impact on patient care and experience.”
Key Information
Location: North East
Date Started: October 2021
Sector: Healthcare
